Dr. Lauren

There’s a question I think about when working on my book or thinking about the meaning of life: How would you make decisions about your future if you actually knew you deserved a good life? While this question is gaining traction, it is not one many ask when they are too busy surviving, escaping and managing the complexities of life: coming out, looking for a relationship, grieving a relationship, navigating dating apps to find the one, searching for belonging, creating purpose, figuring out...

A Psychologist's Take on What It Really Means to Celebrate Yourself As a Lesbian or Queer Woman Jacklyn has been eagerly anticipating her Pride weekend since April. She is ready; her outfit is chosen, and the hottest spots to visit are all mapped out. Her friend’s group chat, called "dykes do June," has been buzzing for weeks. She loves Pride, genuinely and wholeheartedly. The music, the visibility, the feeling of moving through the world in a crowd of people who understand her. Each year,...

A psychologist's framework for dating from wholeness instead of hunger She walks into my office glowing. It's been three weeks. Maybe four. She's met someone, and it's different this time. They've been texting nonstop. They stayed up until 2 a.m. last Tuesday talking about their childhoods. She's already said the words: “I've never felt this way before – she really gets me.” And I take a breath. Because I know what's coming. It’s not that Sapphic romance shouldn’t be intense, passionate, or...